Wrench.



PATENTED MAR. 5, 1907.

I No. 845,924.

- w. c. BLEB.

WRENCH.

APPLIUATION FILLED 00126, 1906.

[NI/ENTOR.

- W1 TNESSES I A TTORNE Y5 WILLIAM c. .BLEE, OF SANTA ANA, CALIFORNIA.

WRENCH- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 5,1907.

Application filed October 25. 1906. Serial No. 340.586.

ToaZZ whom it may concern: I .Be it known that'I, WILLIAM C. BLEE, acitizen of the United States, residing at'Santa Ana, in the county ofOrange and State of Jalifornia, have invented a new and useful Wrench,of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to wrenches; and it consists in the-novelconstruction and arrangement of its parts, as hereinafter shown anddescribed.

The object of the invention is to provide a wrench having a fixed jawand a j aw movable with relation thereto, and means being provided forquickly adjusting the movable jaw in order to fit the nut to be operatedupon. Said means consists, primarily, of a shaft provided with aworm-thread, which normally engages a similar thread provided in themovable jaw. The thread of the movable jaw is normally held in contactwith the thread of the shaft by means of a wedgeshaped slide, whichnormally lies behind a band provided at the lower portion of themovablej aw and operates against the wrenchstock to keep the saidthreads in engagement. The said wedge-shaped slide is also provided witha spring, and when the slide is moved out of or partially out of thesaid band the said spring bears against the side of the band anddisengages the said thread so that the movable jaw is free to slide uponthe wrench stock.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a side elevation of the wrenchwith parts in section, showing the thread of the shaft in engagementwith the thread of the movable jaw. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of thewrench, showing the thread of the shaft out of engagement with thethread of the movable jaw. Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional view of thewrench, taken on the line 3 3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a perspective view ofthe wedgeshaped slide.

The stock 1 is provided at its outer end. with the "fixed jaw 2- and atits opposite end with the usual handle 3. The bearing 4 is fixed to oneedge of the stock 1, and the upper end of the shaft 5 is journaled inthe said bearing, while the lower end of the shaft 5 is journaled intheshoulder 6, provided upon the handle 3. The worm-thread 7 is locatedupon the periphery of the shaft 5, and the lower portion of the saidshaft is provided with a milled nut 8. It will thus be seen that theshaft 5 may rotate, but that it is retained 1 against longitudinal orlateral movement. The bearing 4 is housed within the movable jaw 9, andthe upper end of the shaft 5 enters the said jaw 9. The jaw 9 isprovided at its lower end. with the band 10, the inner side of the rearportion of which is chamfe red or beveled, as at 1]. The lower portionof the movable jaw 9is provided with the internal spirally-disposedthread 12, which normally en ages the thread 7 of the shaft5. Theforward portion 13 of the band 10 is adapted to rest against the sameside or edge of the stock 1 as that upon which the bearing 4 is located,and the opening between the portion 13 and that portion of the jaw 9 inwhich the thread 12 is located is of greater diameter than'the shaft 5.Consequently the lower portion of the jaw 9 may move laterally for thepurpose of disengaging the thread 12 from the thread 7.

The thread- 12 is held in engagement with the thread 7 by thewedge-shaped slide 14.-

Said slide is provided at its lower end with a wedge 15, the inclinedsurface of which is adapted to operate against the beveled surface 11 ofthe rear side of the band 10 for the purpose of holding the portion 13of the jaw 9 in contact with the edge of the stock 1 and the thread 12in engagement with the thread 7. The slide 14 is adapted to movelongitudinally along the rear edge of the stock 1 and is provided atapoint intermediate of its ends with a shoulder 16, which is adapted toengage the lower edge of the upper band,17, provided on the j aw 9,whereby the upward movement of the slide 14is limited. The flat spring18 is attached to the slide 14 and is provided with an outwardly-bowedportion v19, which normally receives the rear side-of the band 10.However, when the slide 14 is moved into an elevated position withrelation to the jaw 9 (such a position'as illustrated in Fig. 2) the endof the bowed portion 19 of the spring 18 will bear against the outerside of the band 10 and force the thread 12 out of engagement with thethread 7. When the parts are in the positions as shown in Fig. 2, it isobvious that the jaw 9 may be movedat will along the stock 1 and when atthe desired distance from the jaw 2 the slide 14 may be moved into theposition shown in Fig. 1, when the thread 1.2 will be moved intoengagement with the thread 7 and the jaw 9 will be fixed with relationto the jaw 2. i

As a convenient means for rapidly adjusting the distance between the jaw9- and the jaw 2 in order to receive a particular nut to be operatedupon the slide 14 is moved up into the position as shown in Fig. 2. Thenthe edge of the nut (not shown) is placed against the shorter end 20 ofthe jaw 2, and the jaw 9 is moved toward the jaw 2. When the upper endof the slide 14 engages the side of the nut, the said slide is forceddown, or rather is held stationary, while the jaw 9 is being moved up.Consequently when the upper edge of the j aw 9 arrives in contact withthe nut the j aws are spaced apart at the proper distance to receive thesaid nut and the parts are locked into the positions as illustrated inFig. 1. The jaw 9 may be adjusted by turning the nut 8.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, 1s-

1. A wrench comprising a fixed jaw mounted upon a stock, a movable jawmount-, ed upon the stock, means for retaining said movable jaw in fixedposition upon the stock, a slide having a wedge-shaped end, the wedgeend of which retains the movable jaw in engagement with the retainingmeans, said slide having its opposite end flush with the work-facingsurface of the movable jaw when the latter is in engagement with theretaining means and maintaining the en- .gagement of such part, the lastsaid end of the slide lying between the work-facing surfaces of the jawswhen the movable jaw is out of engagement with the retaining means. 2. Awrench comprising a fixed jaw mounted upon a stock, a movable jaw,mounted upon the stock, means for retaining said movable jaw in fixedposition upon the stock, said movable jaw having at its end a band whichreceives the stock the opening of which is of greater dimension thanthat of the stock, a slide operated against the edge of the stock andbetween the stock and the movable jaw and having an end which normallyretains the wall of the band in contact with the opposite edge of thestock, said slide having its end fiush with the work-fad ing surface ofthe movable jaw when the latter is in engagement with the retainingmeans and maintaining the engagement of such parts and a spring mountedupon the slide and having a bowed port-ion which receives one of thesides of the band.

3. A wrench comprising a fixed jaw mounted upon a stock, a movable jawmounted upon the the movable jaw in a fixed position with relation tothe stock, the said means comprising a shaft provided with a spiral gearwhich engages a similar gear provided upon the movable jaw, a slidelocated against the edge of the stock and between the stock and themovable jaw, said slide having its end flush with the work-facingsurface of the movable jaw when the latter is in engagement with theretaining means.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto afifixedmy signature in the presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM C. BLEE.

Witnesses:

JOHN N. ANDERSON, KATE OwENs.

stock, means for holding.

